Dissolved

Oxygen
The Good Gas
 Photosynthesis: Your one-stop
shop for all of your oxygen needs!
Solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

Happy Rays
of Sunshine

Carbon Oxygen
Dioxide
Carbohydrate (to air)
(from air)
(plant material)

Water (from ground)

 Aquatic plants and phytoplankton
(single cell floating plants) release
oxygen into the water as a product
of photosynthesis

Happy Rays
of Sunshine

CO2 O2
Phytoplankton (single cell plants) are the base of the
aquatic food web and provide most of the aquatic oxygen.
Submerged aquatic plants can provide shelter for
young fish as well as house an abundant food
supply.
Oxygen: A Soluble Gas

H2 O O2 H2 O
H O O
O2 2
O2 2
H2 O O2 H O H O
O 2 H2 O 2 2

H O O2 H O
H2 O 2 2
 Habitat Classification Based on DO
Concentration

> 2 mg/L Normoxic

0.2 2 mg/L Hypoxic

0 0.2 mg/L Anoxic

Most fish need oxygen levels > 2.0 mg/L

 Respiration: How we, the animals,
use oxygen (and plants too!)

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (in form of ATP)

Carbohydrate + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy

Oxygen in
CO2 and H2O out
Energy out
Previous Meal te in
ydra
bo h
Car
CO2: A Soluble Gas Too!

H2O CO2 O2 H2 O
CO2
H O O
O2 2
CO2 O2 CO2 2
CO2 O2 H O H O
O 2 H2 O 2 2

H O O2 H O
H2 O 2 2
CO2
Biological Production and Consumption of Oxygen
Heat
Energy

Solar Energy Chemical

Energy (ATP)
CO2

Photosynthesis Respiration

C6H12O6
O2

Biomass (g/m2/yr)
 Daily Aquatic Oxygen Cycle

Moonshine Sunshine Moonshine

Dissolved Oxygen

Midnight Sunrise Noon Sunset Midnight

 Day Night

Photosynthesis

Respiration
 Low High
Respiration Respiration

Photosynthesis

Respiration
 High Low
Photosynthesis Photosynthesis

CO2+H2OH2CO3H++HCO3-2H++CO3-

An increase in CO2 causes an increase in H+ pH

Moonshine Sunshine Moonshine

pH Level

Midnight Sunrise Noon Sunset Midnight

Decomposition Not good for DO
Decomposer organisms (mainly bacteria)
consume oxygen
Sometimes consume oxygen faster than plants
can produce it, even during the middle of the
day!
A sudden increase in organic matter (think
leaf litter) can create a spike in
decomposition activity especially if it is
hot
Hurricanes not only add organic matter to our
waterways, but also stir up the sediment.
Can cause fish kills!!
 Abiotic Factors That Affect
DO Concentration
Temperature Wind

Water Clarity Cloud Cover

Current
Velocity (Flow)
 Temperature
The warmer water is, the less DO it can
hold
Think about opening a coke bottle after it sat a
few hours on the dash of your car in August.

20 100% DO Saturation
18
100% Saturation Lavel

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Temperature (C)

Excess DO evaporates into the atmosphere!

Oxygen Can Diffuse Out of or
Into the Water Column
Atmosphere

Oxygen diffuses out Oxygen diffuses into

of water column water column

Oxygen > 100% Oxygen < 100%

Saturation Saturation

Water Column
 Wind
Stirs in atmospheric oxygen
 Current Velocity
The faster water flows, the more atmospheric
oxygen is mixed into the water.
 Water Clarity

Amount of Sunlight Reaching Plants

The muddier the water is, the less light reaches the plants!
 Cloud Cover
Clouds decrease the amount of sunlight reaching
aquatic plants, thus oxygen production is reduced.